How does penicillin work? Penicillin binds to penicillin-binding proteins, thus inhibiting the transpeptidation reaction during cell wall synthesis. Penicillin blocks the movement of peptidoglycan subunits from the cytoplasm to the exterior of the cell. Penicillin degrades the peptide linkers between the NAG and NAM units of the cell wall. Penicillin inserts into the plasma membrane, causing cell lysis.
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It does this by binding to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), which are responsible for the transpeptidation reaction during cell wall synthesis. By blocking this reaction, penicillin prevents the proper formation of the cell wall, leading to cell lysis and Show more…
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How does penicillin work? Penicillin binds to penicillin-binding proteins, thus inhibiting the transpeptidation reaction during cell wall synthesis. Penicillin blocks the movement of cell peptidoglycan subunits from the cytoplasm to the exterior of the cell. Penicillin digests the peptidoglycan linkers between NAG and NAM residues, resulting in cell lysis.
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